HAMPTON, Va. — Longtime club members of Paradise Ocean Club are happy the Fort Monroe staple has reopened its doors.
CJ Kyle says she's missed her morning walks on the beach.
"We were here opening day and I, I'm so blessed to be out here again in the sun," Kyle said.
For the first time in two years, earlier this week, the Paradise Ocean Club is open but owners say this isn’t the same club it was in 2022.
The bar closed in 2022 when the National Parks Service, which owns the land, did not renew the lease. Owner Baxter Simmons says the fight to return was not easy.
"They wanted to put more constraints in there with regards to security and parking and things like that so, you know, it took a little while for them to figure out what their requirements were going to be," Simmons said.
The agreement for a new lease came with some new rules including, a max capacity of 1000 people, enhanced security, and parking settings. Guests like Paul Hill are happy to return to their home away from home.
"You've got all the good food here, you got all the good drinks. you've got great bands, plenty of seating, you've got the ocean, you've got everything right here. this is like a one-stop shop," Hill said.
The National Parks Service said in a statement that "they are pleased that the new lease aligns better with their mission and they look forward to working with the business."